


After Near Death

by hart051



Series: Blue13 magic [6]
Category: Blue Beetle (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Deleted Scenes, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26608261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hart051/pseuds/hart051
Summary: He could have died. It’s a hazard that came with such an occupation, but even Scarab couldn’t do a thing.
Relationships: Jaime Reyes/Traci Thurston
Series: Blue13 magic [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639654
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	After Near Death

**Author's Note:**

> I had this one-shot prepped way back, a year or so ago. This is set between when the Outsiders return from Studio 16, Vic-less and before Vic returns with the other heroes in episode 24 of "Outsiders" ("Into the Breach"). This is also inspired by a scene in the Blue Beetle comics (2006).  
> It will be a long period of waiting until Season 4, Young Justice Phantoms airs in 2021. Hopefully it comes soon, but I'll be happy to get a continuation of one of many great superhero shows. In the meantime, there's fanfiction. ;)

The trip from Studio Warehouse 16 could have been longer. Beast Boy called for all the Outsiders except Brion to come with him and Vic to follow a possible lead on Halo. 

Everything had come to light. Garfield brought the revelation to their attention. The whole Team Batman leaves the League, was a ruse fabricated by Batman himself, Aquaman, and Miss M to be free of hero restrictions. The various Outsider missions such as The Reach which was real, with Aquaman was downplaying his game, but Ivo and the robot monkeys! A fabrication of Batman and Miss Martian acting the parts of the father and the kidnapped girl and Robin controlling the formerly broken monkey’s. All of it meant not only to boost Outsiders’ ratings, but piss off Lex Luthor. 

Scarab was at wits’ ends with the fact it didn’t recognize either of them. He remembers Cassie being severely pissed at Robin. He wouldn’t be surprised to see a crater somewhere in the training room or wrecked equipment. Gar was still seething, despite his mature calmness. Bart paced like crazy, he would have made a trench in the floor. Virgil was pissed, but not so much since he joined after another crazy scheme of a similar plot that occured two years ago. It could also be that his mentor was truly pissed (the most) since Jeff truly did not know about the debacle. In fact, while they were on mission Virgil was with his former mentor. He could not blame either electric heroes. He was glad Virgil didn’t come. He doubted it made the difference. It was thanks to Vic they were all still alive, him most of all. Now, he wonders what happened or is happening with him.

After meeting the resident ‘cyborg’, he offered his help in teaching him how to live and use his alien tech. He empathized with Vic, probably the most compared to everyone else, The Team, Outsiders, even leaguers. They were inevitably linked to alien tech that cannot be removed without them dieing or disabled for life. Vic had formerly shared his body with the soul of a Fatherbox, but now had free will and not to worry about going murderous. With Scarab’s (begrudging) help, he taught Vic how to aim his weapon and even offered a different technique in ‘making’ a gun. Vic seemed elated seeing what he could do, even had figured out some things for himself. Now, Vic is who knows where in space on his own.

“I’m beyond moded.” Bart shared aloud.

“ _ Si _ . So am I.” Ed agreed.

“So is everyone.” Cassie added.

Everyone else plopped down in a chair. Jaime excused himself and went upstairs to make a much needed phone call. He wanted to hear her voice again. It was a shot in the dark, but it was better than nothing.

He swiped at his phone and hit the call button.

No such luck.

Jaime sighed. He knew it wouldn’t work, but he couldn’t help but feel pathetic. Scarab didn’t stand a chance against New God tech. Unlike the rest of the squad he was not a metahuman, but they still felt the effects of the Pit just not to the same extent he did. It was worse when Scarab was forced to deactivate itself. They knew from a ‘black-ops’ mission when Lightning and Nightwing spied on Granny, they might encounter an X-pit and its effects on meta and non-metahumans. 

His phone vibrated. It was a message from Traci.

_ Are you alone? _

Jaime texted back.  _ I am. Why? _

_ You’ll see ;) _

He wondered what she meant by that.

“Hey cutie.”

Jaime jumped. For some reason, Scarab did not activate any sort of defense protocol. He relaxed when he heard a familiar laugh.

“You should have seen the look on your face!” Traci said through her laughing fit.

Jaime turned to see the very person he had been texting sixteen seconds ago. 

“You have no idea how happy I am to see-” He walked up to hug her only to pass right through her. “-you.”

“Sorry, but I’m not really here, or there.” Traci said. “I just learned how to astral project myself while at the Tower of Fate.”

“That’s so crash.”

“See how serious I am about us?” She raised her eyebrows.

“Hey, I like seeing your face.” Jaime cackled. “Projection or not.”

Traci giggled. “Sweet and corny like a breakfast cereal.”

“I wish I could kiss you, right now.” He said wistfully.

“What happened? Is something serious going on?” Traci asked. “I got a text from M’gann. Violet got kidnapped?!”

“It’s a long story. You have the time for it?”

“I should. Try to give me the major details. I don’t know how long I have while astral projecting this far.”

Jaime gave a summed up version of what had happened.

“Are you okay?”

“I’ll live, Scarab’s okay too.”

“It still gotta hurt for him too. He protects you.”

“He did... tried.”

Traci nodded emphatically. 

“Any news from The Team?” She asked.

Jaime shook his head. “ _ Nada _ .”

“Worried about Vic?”

He sighed. “He just boom-tubed who knows where, after Granny disappeared.”

“I can’t believe I was a fan of the show she was the boss of. Is it wrong if I still like it?”

Jaime knew even before dating her, how crazy she was over  _ Space Trek 3016 _ -messed up physics or not- but did she really think that it mattered.

“Oh no. I can’t date a girl who still likes a show produced by a hidden bad lady who was running meta-human trafficking rings.” Jaime said blankly.

“Jaime! That’s terrible!” Traci proceeded to whack him only for her hand to pass through him. She scowled.

Jaime smirked. “Kinda the point. I have nothing against what you like. Besides, you gave me hell for having a childhood crush on Padme.”

“Still!” She protested, poking his chest with her phantom finger. “I can’t believe you thought she was hot!”

“I don’t think that anymore, because I know someone else who’s hotter and she’s not a cartoon.” He countered meaningfully.

Even as a projection, Traci’s complexion tinted red.

“I miss you.” Jaime said.

“I miss you more.” Traci challenged.

“I-”

_ If that is a repeat of the previous sentence, do not say it and end the conversation with the Traci Thurston! _

“Scarab’s had it with our love shit?” Traci smirked. His poker face must really stink.

“That obvious?” Jaime returned.

“I’d better get going. If I astral project this far for too long...” She trailed off. “Let’s just say I’ll have an out of body experience.”

Jaime nodded. “I’ll see you soon Traci.  _ Hasta luego bonita. _ ”

“Hasta luego querido. Bye Jaime.”

Traci blew a kiss and her projection faded away. Jaime took a moment to let the fact his magical, amazing, beautiful girlfriend made time to call him from the opposite side of the US via astral projection. He sighed and returned back down the stairs. He plopped himself on the other side of the couch Ed was sitting on, wondering where the heck is Vic and hoping he is not dead.

**Author's Note:**

> \- This could have easily viewed as a could have been deleted scene. Some shows do a good job managing all their characters giving even 'side' ones a chance to shine.  
> \- In the Blue Beetle (2006) comics, issue 20, Jaime has to deal with The Spectre, a vengeful immortal spirit who had chosen a particular prisoner as a host. He ends up getting some more insight on how to fight Spectre from Traci 13, his 'almost' girlfriend. She is currently doing magical business elsewhere, but ends up popping by his house via an astral projection. Some nice rom-com moments ensue along with some well-intended advice. Some of the dialogue in this fic is also based on their scenes in the comic.  
> \- Why wouldn't Jaime want to have a moment with Traci? Jaime experienced the very thing that nearly ended Dick's life and he's the same thing as him, a human. His powers come from the Scarab which is not compatible with New God tech, so he's definitely rattled. Anyone would want someone they know and love close by for these kind of lows. There's also concern for his fellow bonded-to-alien-tech-for-life buddy who he just taught a couple of tricks to.  
> \- Miss Martian had tried to contact Traci about a mission to rescue Violet in the previous episode. She states she is having a training session with Zatanna in the Tower of Fate. This was a nice way to tie in astral projecting, since we've only seen Traci do one kind of magic trick.  
> \- I used the iconic 'sixteen' but I doubt it makes sense timewise. Still had to use it.  
> \- In one of the Teen Titan comics (forget which one. Something between 1990s-2000s; It's the one in which Blue Beetle joins the Teen Titans) during a night off with his fellow titans and his girlfriend joining them, Traci speaks to Jaime in Spanish. I figured for my fic, Traci would know some Spanish and on some occasions speak it to Jaime.  
> \- I don't know exactly how much time passes between the Outsiders having witnessed Vic Boomtube who knows where to all of them seated in the 'living space' in a semi-circle wondering what to do next/what went wrong, but I bet it's enough to let this scene be possible.


End file.
